Thank you Dr. Bob!

Jul 11, 2009

Dr. Bob, thank you so much for your quick response. It's very encouraging to hear it from an authority on the matter such as yourself. I made a donation to your foundation and plan to donate again in the future. The work you do is great and needs to be supported by as many people as possible.

Thanks again,

A little less terrified in Miami.

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hi A Little Less Terrified in Miami,

You're welcome!

I'm delighted to see your evolution from "Terrified in Miami" to "A Little Less Terrified in Miami." I'm quite confident you will soon emerge as "No Longer Terrified and WOO-HOOing like Hell in Miami!"

Good luck. Many thanks for your donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation (www.concertedeffort.org). In return I'm sending a dose of my good-luck/good-health karma that your definitive HIV test will be negative. (I very strongly suspect it will!)

Dr. Bob, I think youre a saint for doing the work that you do.I want you to know that I plan to make a donation to your wonderful AIDS foundation. My problem began two weeks ago when I decided that I would break out of my shell and, thinking it was very low risk, had unprotected oral sex with two guys, on different days- both of which came in my mouth. Although I quickly spit out the semen I have been so anxiety ridden since this occurred that I can't sleep, I can barely eat and when I do manage to eat something I start cramping up and feel like I'm going to have to go to the toilet and expel it. I also feel faint, sometimes start to sweat when I get really anxious and also get a tingling feeling on my salivary glands. Every time I feel any of these symptoms I get more nervous and all I can think about is that Im +HIV and that I've got another 10 weeks before I can get tested and that Ill go crazy before then. Ive read in this forum that oral sex is low risk but Ive also read that is some cases the risk can be elevated. I have no cuts or openings in my mouth that I know of, sometimes I'll chew a little on the sides of my cheeks, but I dont know if any of the two guys I was with were +HIV, and if so what their viral load was. I beg you to please let me know three things: 1, if you think my symptoms are just a product of my anxiety, 2, how risky you think my actions really were and 3, what test I can take prior to the 12 weeks so that I dont loose my mind- which I fear I will.

Thank you so very much,

Terrified in Miami

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hi Terrified in Miami,

1. Yes, your symptoms are absolutely related to anxiety, not HIV.

2. Very low risk.

3. HIV-antibody tests taken prior to the three-month mark are not considered to be conclusive.

Your HIV-acquisition risk is very low. Read the chapter in the archives of this forum devoted to oral sex. You should find the information there reassuring. I would also suggest you seek professional help for coping with the stress and anxiety associated with having to wait three months for your definitive test. Psychotherapy (counseling) can/or anti-anxiety mediations can be very helpful.

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